Tribeca Film via Everett Collection
For a film that involves a love triangle, mental illness, a Bohemian colony of free-spirits, an impending war and several important historical figures, the most exciting elements of Summer in February are the stunning shots of the English country and Cornish seaside. The rest of the film never quite lives up to the crashing waves and sun-dappled meadows that are used to bookend the scenes, as the entertaining opening never manages to coalesce into a story that lives up the the cinematography, let alone the lives of the people that inspired it.
Set in an Edwardian artist’s colony in Cornwall, Summer in February tells the story of A.J. Munnings (Dominic Cooper), who went on to become one of the most famous painters of his day and head of the Royal Academy of Art, his best friend, estate agent and part-time soldier Gilbert Evans (Dan Stevens), and the woman whom they both loved, aspiring artist Florence Carter-Wood (Emily Browning). Her marriage to Munnings was an extremely unhappy one, and she attempted suicide on their honeymoon, before killing herself in 1914. According to his journals, Gilbert and Florence were madly in love, although her marriage and his service in the army kept them apart.
When the film begins, Munnings is the center of attention in the Lamorna Artist's Colony, dramatically reciting poetry at parties and charming his way out of his bar tab while everyone around him proclaims him to be a genius. When he’s not drinking or painting, he’s riding horses with Gilbert, who has the relatively thankless task of keeping this group of Bohemians in line. Their idyllic existence is disrupted by the arrival of Florence, who has run away from her overbearing father and the fiancé he had picked out for her in order to become a painter.
Stevens and Browning both start the film solidly, with enough chemistry between them to make their infatuation interesting. He manages to give Gilbert enough dependable charm to win over both Florence and the audience, and she presents Florence as someone with enough spunk and self-possession to go after what she wants. Browning’s scenes with Munnings are equally entertaining in the first third of the film, as she can clearly see straight through all of his bravado and he is intrigued by her and how difficult she is to impress. Unfortunately, while the basis of the love triangle is well-established and entertaining, it takes a sudden turn into nothing with a surprise proposal from Munnings.
Neither the film nor Browning ever make it clear why Florence accepts his proposal, especially when they have both taken great pains to establish that she doesn’t care much for him. But once she does, the films stalls, and both Stevens and Browning spend the rest of the film doing little more than staring moodily and longingly at the people around them. The real-life Florence was plagued by depression and mental instability, but neither the film nor Browning’s performance ever manage to do more than give the subtlest hint at that darkness. On a few occasions, Browning does manage to portray a genuine anguish, but rather than producing any sympathy from the audience, it simply conjures up images of a different film, one that focused more on Florence, and the difficulties of being a woman with a mental illness at a time when both were ignored or misunderstood.
Stevens is fine, and Gilbert starts out with the same kind of good-guy appeal the won the heart of Mary Crawley and Downton Abbey fans the world over. However, once the film stalls, so does his performance, and he quickly drops everything that made the character attractive or interesting in favor of longing looks and long stretches of inactivity. He does portray a convincing amount of adoration for Florence, although that's about the only real emotion that Gilbert expresses for the vast majority of the film, and even during his love scene, he never manages to give him any amount of passion.
Cooper does his best with what he’s given, and tries his hardest to imbue the film with some substance and drama. His Munnings is by turns charming, brash, and brooding, the kind of person who has been told all of their life that they are special, and believes it. He even manages to give the character some depth, and even though he and Browning have very little chemistry, he manages to convey a genuine affection for her. It’s a shame that Munnings becomes such a deeply unlikable character, because Cooper is the only thing giving Summer in February a jolt of life – even if it comes via bursts of thinly-explained hostility. It's hard to watch just how hard he's working to connect with his co-stars and add some excitement to a lifeless script and not wish that he had a better film to show off his talents in.
Unfortunately, by the time Florence and Gilbert are finally spurred into activity, the film has dragged on for so long that you’re no longer invested in the characters, their pain, or their love story, even if you want to be. Which is the real disappointment of Summer in February; underneath the stalled plot and the relatively one-note acting, there are glimmers of a fascinating and compelling story that’s never allowed to come to the forefront.
2/5
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Summit via Everett Collection
You can imagine that Renny Harlin, director and one quadrant of the writing team for The Legend of Hercules, began his pitch as such: We'll start with a war, because lots of these things start with wars. It feels like this was the principal maxim behind a good deal of the creative choices in this latest update of the Ancient Greek myth. There are always horse riding scenes. There are generally arena battles. There are CGI lions, when you can afford 'em. Oh, and you've got to have a romantic couple canoodling at the base of a waterfall. Weaving them all together cohesively would be a waste of time — just let the common threads take form in a remarkably shouldered Kellan Lutz and action sequences that transubstantiate abjectly to and fro slow-motion.
But pervading through Lutz's shirtless smirks and accent continuity that calls envy from Johnny Depp's Alice in Wonderland performance is the obtrusive lack of thought that went into this picture. A proverbial grab bag of "the basics" of the classic epic genre, The Legend of Hercules boasts familiarity over originality. So much so that the filmmakers didn't stop at Hercules mythology... they barely started with it, in fact. There's more Jesus Christ in the character than there is the Ancient Greek demigod, with no lack of Gladiator to keep things moreover relevant. But even more outrageous than the void of imagination in the construct of Hercules' world is its script — a piece so comically dim, thin, and idiotic that you will laugh. So we can't exactly say this is a totally joyless time at the movies.
Summit via Everett Collection
Surrounding Hercules, a character whose arc takes him from being a nice enough strong dude to a nice enough strong dude who kills people and finally owns up to his fate — "Okay, fine, yes, I guess I'm a god" — are a legion of characters whose makeup and motivations are instituted in their opening scenes and never change thereafter. His de facto stepdad, the teeth-baring King Amphitryon (Scott Adkins), despises the boy for being a living tribute to his supernatural cuckolding; his half-brother Iphicles (Liam Garrigan) is the archetypical scheming, neutered, jealous brother figure right down to the facial scar. The dialogue this family of mongoloids tosses around is stunningly brainless, ditto their character beats. Hercules can't understand how a mystical stranger knows his identity, even though he just moments ago exited a packed coliseum chanting his name. Iphicles defies villainy and menace when he threatens his betrothed Hebe (Gaia Weiss), long in love with Hercules, with the terrible fate of "accepting [him] and loving [their] children equally!" And the dad... jeez, that guy must really be proud of his teeth.
With no artistic feat successfully accomplished (or even braved, really) by this movie, we can at the very least call it inoffensive. There is nothing in The Legend of Hercules with which to take issue beyond its dismal intellect, and in a genre especially prone to regressive activity, this is a noteworthy triumph. But you might not have enough energy by the end to award The Legend of Hercules with this superlative. Either because you'll have laughed yourself into a coma at the film's idiocy, or because you'll have lost all strength trying to fend it off.
1/5
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X-Men co-stars Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian Mckellen are the toast of Broadway after opening their double bill production to glowing reviews. The British actors, who play superhero rivals in the comic book franchise, have teamed up again to present two plays on the New York stage, Harold Pinter's No Man's Land and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.
The shows, which are performed in repertory, opened at New York City's Cort Theatre on Sunday (24Nov13), and the veteran stars won a slew of praise from theatre critics for their double bill.
Ben Brantley of the New York Times called the plays "absurdly enjoyable revivals" and branded the actors "lions of the British stage", while adding of the production, "These shows are an irresistible celebration of two actors' love affairs with their scripts."
The New York Post's Elisabeth Vincentelli writes, "There's a simple explanation for Pinter's No Man's Land and Beckett's Waiting for Godot thriving amid a sea of light musical fare: They both star Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart - better known as Gandalf and Captain Jean-Luc Picard, respectively... Unlike many marquee names who wash up on the Great White Way, these two know their way around a stage. They have what seems like 328 years of combined experience... These guys' screen credits may be luring crowds, but it's their craft that earns the applause."
Joe Dziemianowicz gives the plays four stars and adds, "The stars grip tight. Stewart is hearty and game. McKellen, even better, is hilarious and heartbreaking. It's a fine bromance - Broadway is lucky to have it."
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter concludes, "Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart make a riveting duo... The gravitas, penetrating intelligence and mercurial wit they bring to their performances in these contrasting yet strangely complementary works was to be expected given the two actors' breadth of experience."
The two actors previously performed Waiting for Godot on the West End stage in 2009, while they first appeared on stage together in a 1977 production of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour by Sir Tom Stoppard.

British pop star Rita Ora has been discharged from hospital after she fainted on Monday (18Nov13) due to heat exhaustion and dehydration. The R.I.P. hitmaker collapsed in Miami, Florida, while she was on the set of a photo shoot for Madonna's Material Girl clothing campaign, which Ora is fronting.
Paramedics were called to the scene, where Ora was photographed with her eyes closed as she was stretchered into an ambulance and taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Dr. David Farcy, Chairman of the Emergency Department at the hospital, tells Us Weekly, "Rita Ora was treated for heat exhaustion and dehydration at our hospital today. She was discharged and is fine."

WENN
Last week Kerry Washington fans the world over let out a collective OMG as sources confirmed that the Scandal actress is expecting her first child. Over the summer Washington went off and got hitched to NFL player Nnamdi Asomugha, and now it looks like their family is getting ready to expand. But what does it all mean for us?! All good things, we believe. Here are just a few reasons to get excited about Kerry’s bun in the oven.
There Will Be A Human Being On the Planet Who Was Raised By Kerry Washington
Have you ever met Kerry Washington? Okay, probably not. But have you ever read any of her interviews? She’s amazing. Insanely smart, acutely aware, and – obviously -- crazy talented. And now there’s going to be someone who gets to say that this amazing woman is his/her mother. That alone is reason to celebrate. Or reason to be insanely jealous of a baby. But why be jealous when that baby is eventually going to grow up and probably infect the world with its awesome genetic traits?
The Maternity Fashion Will Be Insane
This year Kerry Washington was named People Magazine’s Best Dressed Woman In The World. That’s quite a title, but we’ve seen her red carpet looks and she definitely deserves it. And now that she’s with child, fashionistas the world over will be fawning all over her maternity wear, and all of the custom-made, bump-ready gowns she’ll surely be rocking come awards season. It’s gonna be epic.
They Write The Pregnancy Into Scandal And President Fitz Is The Babydaddy
One question Scandal fans have is whether or not the pregnancy will effect one of the biggest shows on television right now. Obviously, it will have some effect, but we have to wonder if Shonda Rhimes decides to write it into the script will that mean that the President of the United States will have a baby out of wedlock with his lover Olivia Pope? And if so, can the world handle that much scandal?
They Write The Pregnancy Into Scandal And Jake Ballard Is The Babydaddy
Okay? How crazy would that be? We all love Olivia and Fitz, but things have been heating back up between Olivia and Jake. Can we imagine a world where Olivia and Jake actually make a baby together?
They Don’t Write It Into Scandal And We Get To Experience Olivia Pope From The Waist-Up For A Few Episodes
The truth is, we don’t really see Olivia Pope getting pregs on the show. And while we wouldn’t put it past the genius that is Shonda Rhimes, we also would be perfectly fine with a world where Olivia Pope remained baby-free. We’d all just have to laugh our way through a few episodes where they’d be concealing Washington's pregnancy behind lots of desks and various objects that Pope would be forced to carry about, for seemingly no reason. As long as the show’s still on, we’re pretty much cool with whatever.
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FayesVision/WENN
Earlier this year Jennifer Lawrence took home the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Tiffany in the critically-acclaimed film Silver Linings Playbook. She is now the second-youngest Best Actress winner and the youngest person to ever receive two Oscar nominations for Best Actress. Suffice it to say, she’s doing just fine and really doesn’t need our help. In her next few films we’ll see her re-teaming with her Silver Linings Playbook director David O. Russell, and of course the rest of The Hunger Games films are headed our way. But if J-Law wants to take her career to a whole ‘nother level, we can think of a few directors who might be able to make that happen.
Derek Cianfrance (The Place Beyond The Pines, Blue Valentine)
Okay first of all, a movie with Cianfrance almost automatically means a movie with Ryan Gosling. Can you imagine the scenes d’amour in this one? Exactly. Lawrence’s role in Winter’s Bone showed critics and audiences that she can do gritty, and she can do indie. We’d love to see her get back to some of that—but with a little bit of romantic intensity – by teaming up with Cianfrance. Plus, again, it's important to stress: that Gosling/Lawrence love scene would be all kinds of insane.
Sofia Coppola (The Bling Ring, Lost In Translation, Marie Antoinette)
In the upcoming period piece Serena, Lawrence will work with award-winning director Susanna Bier. We’d like to see her team up with more women behind the camera, and we think Sofia Coppola could really cook up a great role for her. Actresses like Scarlett Johansson, Kirsten Dunst, and Emma Watson have benefited greatly from being in her films, and we can easily see Lawrence transforming into one of her fascinating characters.
Lee Daniels (The Butler, Precious)
Okay, even we’re a little scared about this mash-up. In fact, we respectfully request that Jennifer Lawrence not make any movies with Lee Daniels for at least another five to seven years. Daniels is no joke — his films are often beyond gritty, beyond intense, and most of us still feel like we should go hide in a corner and peek through our fingers during the majority of his sex scenes. But he’s definitely the go-to guy if you want to do a film that makes you pretty much unrecognizable as an actress. Folks like Halle Berry, Mo’Nique, Nicole Kidman, and Zac Efron have him to thank for certain big moments in their careers. If Lawrence ever gets tired of looking like America’s sweetheart, this would be the route to go.
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Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage
Frasier has entered the building. Kelsey Grammer is joining the cast of The Expendables 3 to play the role of Bonaparte, an ex-mercenary who helps the Expendables on their quest against villain Mel Gibson. Originally, Bonaparte was to be played by Nicolas Cage, who dropped out. Grammer and Cage don't seem particularly interchangeable, but the former has become known lately as a Hollywood tough guy due to his role as a merciless Chicago mayor on Starz’ Boss… and an even tougher guy as Camille’s husband on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Michael Bay was such a fan of Boss that he also cast Grammer as the villain in the upcoming Transformers: Age of Extinction.
But as far as we're concerned, Grammer will always be erudite fussbudget Dr. Frasier Crane. In fact we're still so invested in Frasier's witty aesthetic, we can't help but imagine that The Expendables 3 will follow suit for the actor's scenes...
FADE IN:A well-appointed tent in the Burmese jungle that features a lovingly curated collection of African masks, abstract objet d'art, and a suede sofa, upon which rests an antique fountain pen once used by Noël Coward. A musclebound man wearing an immaculately tailored Italian suit slashes his way through the jungle foliage, reaches the tent and greets another man also wearing an immaculately tailored Italian suit.
BARNEY ROSS (SYLVESTER STALLONE): Bonaparte, cancel our junta! Our Burmese rebel allies have abandoned us faster than blue bloods fleeing revolutionary France!
BONAPARTE (GRAMMER): They've abandoned us just as we approached our hour of triumph? It's worthy of O. Henry.
BARNEY ROSS: To dull your pain, like an Indian to your pilgrim's table, I bring you this bottle of Armagnac.
BONAPARTE: Well, that’s why you’re the squad leader. Shall we compose a list of possible replacement mercenaries to join our team?
BARNEY ROSS: We shall, but, first, do you know how to get sap out of silk? My tailor will never forgive me for slashing my way through this jungle flora.
BONAPARTE: Just don't rest your jacket on my sofa. It's suede! Speaking of which, how do you like my open-air bachelor pad? I had it designed for the latest meeting of my Safari Club. We adjourned to Burma after a stay in Nepal where we ascended Mt. Everest. Or rather our servants climbed it while we held a wine tasting at base camp.
BARNEY ROSS: It's superb. Now for who we should recruit. Trench (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a mysterious one, but I can tell from the way he occludes his dipthongs that he's Austrian.
BONAPARTE: Therefore he’s a must. I think we should also reserve the power to blackball at least one contender either one of us suggests.
BARNEY ROSS: Agreed. Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) worked as a tailor at Savile Row before running guns in the Congo, which could come in handy.
BONAPARTE: He's as effective at stopping genocide as he is at using peroxide. A must. I'd also suggest our burly Nordic friend Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren).
BARNEY ROSS: He has the grace of a lepidoptera but stings like a hymenoptera. What about Max Drummer (Harrison Ford)?
BONAPARTE: Blackball! He opposed my bid to be corkmaster of the wine club. And the lobster he served at his soiree last autumn wasn't even 124 degrees Fahrenheit.
BARNEY ROSS: Pish tosh, Bonaparte. I won't give in to your shell-fish demands. Surely you'd find Yin Yang (Jet Li) a suitable member of the team.
BONAPARTE: Yes, though only because he won't be unsettled by your tendency to change into a Chinese dressing gown after dinner. I'd also suggest Hale Caesar (Terry Crews).
BARNEY ROSS: Really? Caesar? Of the Newport Caesars? Blackball!
BONAPARTE: What? Why isn't Hale Caesar an ideal candidate for our squad?
BARNEY ROSS: You do not question the blackball, you just bow to its will.
BONAPARTE: Fine, then I blackball myself because I won’t have any part in a team without Hale Caesar.
BARNEY ROSS: You cannot self-blackball!
(Enter David Hyde Pierce)
NILES: Will you two pipe down? Maris just got back from an elective cheekbone-raising and needs her rest!
END SCENE
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Actor David Cassidy has been arrested for drunken driving in New York. The Partridge Family star failed a Breathalyzer test after he was pulled over at a police checkpoint on Wednesday (21Aug13), and was arrested and charged with felony DWI and failure to dim his headlights. He posted $2,500 (GBP1,660) bail and was released.
In 2010, Cassidy was arrested for a DUI in Florida. After pleading no contest in 2011, his licence was suspended for six months and he was ordered to serve a year of probation. He also had to attend a traffic school, pay a $500 (GBP330) fine and perform 50 hours of community service.
Cassidy is due back in court in September (13).

Rapper Guerilla Black is facing a lengthy stint behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple counts of credit card fraud. The hip-hop star, real name Charles Tony Williamson, was arrested in January (13) amid accusations of federal conspiracy, unauthorised access to a protected computer to facilitate fraud, access device fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges relating to his involvement in a major scam.
Prosecutors claim the Compton, California native purchased over 27,000 stolen credit card numbers from computer hackers who had targetted restaurants and supply stores in the Seattle, Washington area. The illegal operations are alleged to have netted him $150,000 (£96,774) in swiped funds.
At the time of his arrest earlier this year (13), Williamson had been on pre-trial release for a different fraud scheme he was busted for last summer (12).
Williamson, 33, pleaded guilty to all counts during a court hearing on Tuesday (09Jul13) and will be sentenced on 10 October (13).
The bank fraud charge carries a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1 million (£645,161) fine. He also faces up to 15 years behind bars for device fraud and another five years each for conspiracy and computer fraud.
Two other suspects have already been sentenced for their involvement - hacker David Schrooten was handed a 12-year jail term earlier this year (13), while Christopher Shroebel received a seven-year stint behind bars in 2012.